. >> reporter: first lady michelle obama got a first look at the convention podium she will be speaking from tuesday. president obama stayed on the campaign trail. >> of a he got one piece of advice for you about the romney- ryan game plan, ohio. punt it away. it won't work. >> reporter: at a labor union rally in toledo with auto and steel workers, the president said a mitt romney presidency would hurt the middle class. >> you could choose to give massive new tax cuts to folks who have already made it or you can choose my plan. >> reporter: the labor message continued in michigan as vice president biden kept up the anti-republican attack in detroit. >> they view you as the problem. we view you and know you to be the solution in america. >> reporter: but as democrats hammered republicans on the road, gop vice presidential candidate paul ryan responded in their own convention state of north carolina. >> we can either choose to stay on the path we are on, a path of debt, a path of doubt and decline, a path of joblessness, or we can get things turned around. >> reporter: the dnc moves outdo